Justice News

New Zealand Man Indicted for Kidnapping and Child Pornography

RICHMOND, Va. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging a New Zealand man with four counts of production of child pornography and one count of kidnapping and attempted kidnapping.

According to allegations in the indictment, Troy George Skinner, 25, knowingly used a minor child living in Goochland, Virginia, to produce two videos of child pornography and two image files of child pornography. The indictment alleges that these acts occurred on four separate dates in February and March 2018.

The indictment further alleges that from June 20 to June 22, 2018, Skinner traveled from New Zealand to Virginia, whereupon his arrival he unlawfully and willfully seized and confined the minor victim, and attempted to seize, confine, and kidnap the minor victim for ransom or another reason, and that he also used the Internet in furtherance of this offense.

If convicted of producing child pornography, Skinner faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison and a maximum of 30 years on each count. If convicted of the kidnapping/attempted kidnapping, he faces a mandatory minimum of 25 years in prison and a maximum of life. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and MaryJo Thomas, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian R. Hood and Katherine Lee Martin are prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:19-cr-19.

An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.